1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a plurality of modes with respect to picture compression when recording image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image photographed with a camera, for example a digital camera, is displayed on a liquid crystal display monitor of the digital camera, on a display of a personal computer which is connected to the digital camera, or is printed out on a recording sheet by a printer which is connected to the digital camera. As is well known, a conventional silver-halide film picture has a high accuracy. Therefore, if the image, which is photographed by the digital camera and is printed on the sheet, is compared with the silver-halide picture, it is simply determined that the image on the sheet is inferior to the silver-halide picture with respect to accuracy. Further, since the sheet has capable of representing more pixels than the monitor or the LCD display, the low accuracy of the image, which is printed on the sheet by reproducing compressed data, is conspicuous. Accordingly, the image printed out on the sheet is required to have a higher accuracy than the image displayed on the monitor or the display.
However, in the digital camera, image data is compressed and stored in a memory so as to efficiently use available memory space. Namely, an image data operation in the digital camera, such as compression, is not appropriate in order to maintain a high accuracy of the printed image.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera having an image data recording mode that is suitable for a higher accuracy print out.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera that comprises a printer connection detector that detects whether a printer is connected to the camera. A non-compression mode, a lossless compression mode or a low-rate compression mode is initially set as a compression mode for recording of image information photographed by the camera, when the printer connection detector detects that the printer is connected to the camera.
The image information is recorded to a portable recording medium, such as a memory card.
The non-compression mode, the lossless compression mode or the low-rate compression mode is initially set as the compression mode of the image information that is recorded in the portable recording medium.
The non-compression mode, the lossless compression mode or the low-rate compression mode is initially set as the compression mode of the image information that is transferred to the printer.
The camera further comprises an input unit that inputs the property information of the printer, which includes a highest resolution limit, from the printer. When the highest resolution limit inputted by the input unit is higher than a resolution of the image information, the non-compression mode is set as the compression mode of the image information, and when the highest resolution limit is lower than the resolution, the image information is compressed at a rate according to the highest resolution limit.
A compression rate at which the image information is recorded is settable regardless of the compression mode initially set.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera including a plurality of photographing modes, such that an image having differing picture qualities is photographable, comprising: a photographing mode fixing mechanism that fixes a manually selected one of the plurality of photographing modes having a desired picture quality; a printer connection detector that detects a connected state of a printer to the camera; and a control mechanism that automatically sets one of the plurality of photographing modes having a highest picture quality at which an image is photographable, when the printer connection detector detects that the printer is connected to the camera.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer that comprises a memory that stores property information, which includes a highest resolution limit of output image information, and an output unit that outputs the property information. The printer is connected to a camera in which a compression mode or a compression rate is set in accordance with the highest resolution limit, when the image information is recorded.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture compression system that comprises a printer, and a camera that includes a printer connection detector. A lossless compression mode or a low-rate compression mode is initially set as a compression mode for recording of image information photographed by said camera, when the printer connection detector detects said printer is connected to the camera.
The printer further comprises: a memory that stores property information, which includes a highest resolution limit of output image information; and an output unit that outputs the property information. The camera further comprises a printer information input unit that inputs the property information outputted from the printer. A compression mode or a compression rate is set in accordance with the highest resolution limit inputted by the printer information input unit, when the image information is recorded.
When the highest resolution limit inputted by the printer information input unit is higher than a resolution of the image information, the non-compression mode is set as the compression mode of the image information, and when the highest resolution limit is lower than the resolution, the image information is compressed at a rate according to the highest resolution limit.